Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Military Strips Bibles From 'Christian Terrorists'

In their continued battle against Christians, atheists of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) forced the removal of Bibles from memorial displays in VA hospitals and other military installations in recent months. However, the MRFF's newest leader ran from the battle as he compared Bible-believing Christians to Muslim terrorists.

"I cannot believe I deployed five times to fight radical Islamists overseas only to come home, voice my opinion, and be attacked by radical Christians."-- Capt. Jordan Ray, retired Army atheist

In February, after a phone call from the MRFF’s leader, volunteers at the VA medical center in Akron agreed to remove a New Testament Bible from a “Missing Man” memorial, a display honoring soldiers taken prisoner of war and those missing in action.

Late Wednesday afternoon, MRFF founder Michael “Mikey” Weinstein fired off a letter to the director of the Youngstown VA about another Bible at a Missing Man memorial there.

Depending on your perspective the Bible’s presence at the POW/MIA display table at the Akron Multiple Specialty Outpatient Clinic either turned the place into a Taliban military installation or it amounted to nothing but constitutionally protected religious expression.

The Kings James Bible and framed Scriptural quotations were removed in late February the day after Weinstein, acting on behalf of 11 clinic patients, complained to administrator Brian Reinhart. He argued the distinctly Christian place at the table was an unconstitutional establishment of religion and violated VA regulations.

The book was removed after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, responding to complaints from service members stationed at the Ohio base, argued that the display should be moved to the base chapel or that it should honor POWs and MIAs of all religions and also those who have no religious affiliation.

MRFF demanded the base either move the display to the chapel, display books of multiple faiths and include one on atheist ideology, remove the Bible, or replace it with a “prop book” that would let viewers draw their own conclusions on what it represents.

The base chose to remove the Bible.

“We thoroughly assessed this particular situation and made the determination to remove the Bible,” said Marie Vanover, a spokeswoman for Wright-Patterson. “Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture and we must ensure we create an environment in which people can realize their highest potential, regardless of one's personal religious or other beliefs.”

The installation commander at Wright-Patterson [Air Force Base], Col. John M. Devillier, made the decision to remove the Bible from the display at the medical center last week “after thoroughly assessing the situation,” Wright-Patt spokeswoman Marie Vanover said. Devillier was not available for comment Monday.

Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Ann Arbor, Mich.-headquartered Thomas More Law Center, objected to the removal.

“The courts have said ceremonial displays not meant to proselytize anyone is not considered an establishment of religion,” said Thompson. “It is there for someone to acknowledge or that person does not have to acknowledge it. … They can either accept the Bible being there or, if they are really offended by the Bible, they could turn away. “

Thompson said the base commander “capitulated” to the demand to remove the book.

“We cannot separate God and the Judeo-Christian principles upon which our country is founded from the military who dedicate their lives, who put themselves in harm’s way, when they are performing their duties,” Thompson said. “And certainly had the commanding officer wanted to fight this attempt to intimidate them from removing the Bible, we would have been happy to represent the organization without charge and I think would have won the case.”

On Monday, Jordan Ray, a retired Army captain who served multiple overseas tours, started his job with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. On Tuesday, following Military.com's report about Bible's removal and Ray's role in it, he and his family were stunned and frightened by the threats made against them in online forums.

Mikey Weinstein, president of the organization, told Military.com he regretted Ray's resignation but understands it.

"My family, as well as MRFF's hundreds of paid and volunteer staff and countless supporters domestically and around the world know well what this kind of hostile reprisal and retribution from fundamentalist evangelical Christian extremists is like," he said.

In his letter of resignation, [Ray] said he continues to support what the foundation does in opposing extremist Christians who push their theology on others.